Movie Review: A Christmas Tree Miracle

I love holiday movies. I wish I had a few more hours each day to squeeze them all in. Cartoons, dramas, musicals… you name. I love all genres of holiday entertainment.

Every year it seems like a new assortment of holiday movies and programming is available. Some are wonderful and others make me wish I could get back the time I wasted watching them.

I’ve noticed a theme among holiday movies. It seems like the same storyline, just different characters and situations. Most are OK but few stand above the pack and make themselves truly unique.

A Christmas Tree Miracle is one of those special holiday movies that are unlike the others. It’s the kind of movie that will leave a lasting impression on you and won’t see be forgotten.

A Christmas Tree Miracle is the story of the George family – father David, mother Julia and kids Nick, Natalie and Nina. Like many families, the George family live well above their means. David’s world revolves around his job and Julia is too busy trying to maintain their opulent lifestyle that she doesn’t stop to think about those who don’t have as much as their family. Nick and Natalie are spoiled brats who expect everything to be handed to them on a “silver platter”. They both demand and expect lavish things including a very expensive car (Nick) and a designer jacket (Natalie). The only one in the family who doesn’t care about material things, except her beloved cello, is Nina.

One day when David was stopping by the coffee shop to grab a cup of coffee he overheard and employee telling a man he had to either buy something or leave. The man simply asked if he could just sit there for a few moments and thing, but the teen insisted that he leave or buy something.

David had to rush off to his job and without giving it too much thought he handed his coffee to the man so he’d be allowed to stay in the coffee shop a bit longer. I don’t think he did it out of kindness – I think he did it because he was in a hurry and couldn’t finish his coffee so rather than have it go to waste he gave it to the man.

That day at work David’s world came crashing down. He was laid off.

No to upset the kids David and Julia told the kids that their dad was “in between jobs” at the moment. They didn’t want to tell them the truth. They also made the mistake of living the high life and continued to go on an expensive vacation to Vale and shower their bratty children with expensive gifts.

Eventually it caught up to them. They were no longer able to pay bills and the kids were beginning to get suspicious as to why they were eating pasta all the time. The truth finally came out.

Things progressed and the family had to sell everything they could just to survive. Soon the bank forced them out of their home and they found themselves homeless and without money to buy basic supplies.

Julia, who was once too absorbed in her luxuries and never gave a thought about those less fortunate by donating food, found herself on the receiving end and had to go to a food bank just to get her family something to eat.

Later that day the family was truly homeless – they got kicked out of the hotel room they were staying in due to a declined credit card. With no place to go the family visited a local church to find shelter and a place to spend the night.

When the family woke up they found an older man name Henry standing over them holding a Christmas tree that he was dropping off at the church. Henry knew David the moment he saw him because Henry was the recipient of the coffee at the coffee house many months ago.

Nina told Henry how the family lost everything and they had no where to go. Henry invited the family to him home to see his tree farm. With no place else to go the family took him up on his offer.

Henry’s home was very warm and inviting. It was even decorated for Christmas, even though it wasn’t Christmas yet.

Henry, out of the goodness of his heart, made the George a deal they couldn’t pass up on. He offered to give them room and board in exchange for helping him out at the tree farm. The unique thing about his trees is that he never sold any of them, he gave them away for free. It was his late wife’s dream that everyone could have a Christmas tree if they wanted one, even if they didn’t have the money to buy one. So Henry grew trees and gave them away for free.

Will being with Henry help the family recover from their financial issues? What life lessons can he teach this once ostentatious family how to be humble? To find out you need to pick up a copy of A Christmas Tree Miracle, available on DVD December 3, 2013. It will be available at places like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and Barnes & Noble.

The films stars Kevin Sizemore (Under the Dome, Resurrection), Claudia Esposito (The Pledge) and Terry Kiser (Weekend at Bernies). The movie also stars Barrett Carnahan (The Pledge), Emily Capehart (The Pledge) and introduces Siomha Kenney (Nina George). Siomha Kenney stole the movie. This beautiful and adorable young girl lit up the screen with her great big eyes and 100 watt smile.

I think A LOT of families can relate to the George family. I personally know many families who live well above their means. For them it’s all about the exotic vacations, fancy cars, designer clothing and “must have” technology. Some of these families also had their worlds come crashing down when one (or both) spouses lost their jobs and had to have their homes foreclosed on.

We are a humble family and we live below our means. We constantly have to remind our kids that having a lot of ($$$) stuff is NOT the meaning of life. We also teach our kids to show kindness and generosity to others. In fact, the other day our daughter baked 6 dozen cookies on her own to give to our neighbors – an elderly couple, an elderly man and a woman who lives by herself and has no family or children. She didn’t HAVE to – she WANTED to. For us, that is what the holidays is all about. It’s not about the expensive gifts. It’s about showing kindness and good will towards other and GIVING rather than receiving.

This is not your typical holiday movie. I think it’s great that it is something that comes from real life (people losing it all). It also proves that you don’t have to have a lot of $$$ and fancy things to be happy and lead a fulfilling life.

A Christmas Tree Miracle is a perfect addition to your family’s holiday movie collection. It’s also a film that can be enjoyed year round, not just during the holidays.

Comments

Oh I love movies like this one too. I’m going to plan ahead and search for the weekend movies. No tear jerkers though, maybe a little humor to lighten up things. I love the TBN (Christian) movies but they tend to be reruns. I just have regular “rabbit” TV, lol.

I have not heard of the Christmas Tree Miracle. And like you, I love watching Christmas movies. I want to see this very interesting movie this year! I bet it is really like you say and heartwarming. Thanks for sharing!

This movie sounds really good. I wonder if it will be on TV this year? You said that you like Christmas movies. Have you ever watched Santa Claus? It stars Dudley Moore and it came out in 1985. Occasionally you will find it on cable or regular TV. I highly reccommend it.